Friday

For the 12th consecutive year, Winnebago Industries, Inc. received the prestigious Quality Circle Award for its Winnebago and Itasca brands from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers' Association (RVDA) at a ceremony conducted at the 45th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, KY. Winnebago Industries is the only recreation vehicle (RV) manufacturer to receive the Quality Circle Award for 12 consecutive years.

"Winnebago Industries is again honored to receive this award from our dealers and RVDA," said Winnebago Industries Chairman of the Board and CEO Bruce Hertzke. "This award means a lot to our Company. Not only is it from our dealer organization, but the award is also a direct reflection on our products and our employees that build them. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, honors like the Quality Circle Award encourage us to continue to build exceptional, innovative motor homes for consumers and of course, to continue to strive to earn this prestigious award for years to come."

"The DSI survey was significantly revised in 2007 to reflect the industry's work to improve customer satisfaction, which makes this award even more impressive," said RVDA President Michael A. Molino. "Dealers believe the DSI is a tool to help improve communication and the overall relationships with their manufacturers. The survey measures dealer attitudes in key policy, product and procedure areas that dealers say are the most important elements in their business partnerships with manufacturers."

The rounded shape of Airstream trailers are a classic in the world of RVs. Airstream trailers are not only aerodynamic, but beautiful in their own metallic way.

Hallmark pays tribute to famous trailer with the Airstream Dream Keepsake Ornament. An Airstream trailer might not be as cuddly as little stuffed teddy bears or other holiday ornaments, but it does feature rolling wheels and an awning that pulls out.

According to Hallmark..

Remember the call of the open road with this wonderful replica of an Airstream trailer. Just like the real thing, you can extend the blue and white striped awning for some extra shade. The wheels turn, too. Comes with a full-sized Hallmark greeting card, with your personal message.

We give in...it could not be any cuter, even if you stuck little red bows on it.

Monday

Ford Motor Company recently announced their lastest motorhome chassis lineup to meet consumer needs for larger RVs with more amenities.

According to Ford...

The Ford F53 Super Duty Class A motorhome lineup boasts best-in-class 362 hp and 457 ft.-lbs. of torque from the proven 6.8-liter Triton™ V-10 engine. Improved ride, steering and NVH makes long trips more enjoyable while extended service intervals and quality legacy should reduce down time.

Celebrating the growing popularity of RVing and the increasing luxury RV market, Ford introduces the most capable motorhome chassis to the new 2008 F53 Super Duty Class A lineup that has been fully re-engineered for better driving dynamics, more diverse offerings and reduced noise, vibration and harshness. The new chassis borrows heavily from the industry’s most capable heavy-duty truck – the new 2008 F-Series Super Duty – and was proven out on many of the F-Series “Built Ford Tough” truck durability tests to improve on the Ford RV’s 25 percent quality advantage customers reported in Ford surveys.

Ford offers the best-selling RV chassis in both the Class A and Class C (E-Series chassis) markets. The launch of the new package options in Class A expands Ford’s F53 Super Duty Class A lineup to six offerings, ranging from the “tailgater’s special” 16,000-pound gross-vehicle weight rating (GVWR) chassis through the new capability leader, 26,000-pound GVWR chassis, that gives builders the opportunity to offer the most advanced, most luxurious RV bodies yet.

Ford’s new 24,000-pound GVWR package firmly settles into the heavy class of motorhome chassis, one of the fastest growing RV class segments. Going one step further, the new 26,000-pound GVWR package sets a new best-in-class marker for motorhome chassis capabilities, providing a stunning 30,000-pound gross combined weight rating.
“Ford’s new heavy-duty F53 Super Duty chassis allows customers to continue bringing more of their home to their home on wheels,” said Shelly Smith, marketing manager, Ford F53 Super Duty motorhome. “Motorhome builders are adding more luxurious amenities such as granite countertops and slide outs so we met the challenge with the most capable RV chassis ever.”

The 6.8-liter Triton™ V-10 engine’s best-in-class 362 horsepower and 457 foot-pounds of torque provided help support the largest motorhomes with plenty of power on the highway. The powerful engine is mated to Ford’s exclusive and proven TorqShift® automatic overdrive transmission.

The new, high-end F53 models also features a new, more robust steering system with a new steering gear that, combined the new suspension, improve ride and handling. Steering and handling are complimented by the 50-degree wheel cut (increased from 42 degrees) for a tighter turning radius. Specially tuned stabilizer bars, Bilstein shocks and higher-capability front and rear springs make the ride more comfortable.

“We engineered the top-of-the-line F-53 models to provide the same steering precision, ride comfort and quietness as the rest of the lineup – just at much higher loads,” said Laurie Call, chief engineer, F53 Super Duty. “We think the driving dynamics and comfort, combined with our quality record, will lead to more customers demanding Ford chassis from their dealers.”

Visitors to the 18th Annual Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show can find out all about RV travel when the show rolls into the Colorado Convention Center, downtown Denver, Wednesday, January 9 through Saturday, January 12, 2008.

Sponsored by the Colorado Recreational Vehicle Association, this Show features 2008 models from Colorado's Front Range RV Dealers ranging from $500,000 and up Class A-motor homes to compact, lightweight easy-to-pull tent trailers, along with fifth-wheel models, truck campers and travel trailers.

Representatives from the region's travel areas will be on hand to answer questions and suggest travel routes and stopovers. Comedians with a love of life on the road, Mike Faverman and Pat Mac appear on stage with “Ultimate Camp Cooking” for all show attendees.

Hours are 10:30 am to 9:30 pm daily. Admission is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors 62 and over. Children under 12 are free. Adult discount admission is available at the agievents.com online box office.

The Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show is produced by AGI Events. Call (303) 892-6800 for information or visit www.agievents.com/shows.